Doc Martens, Love or Loathe?

Friday, June 11, 2010

Love them or loathe them, Doc Martens boots are back, or did they ever go ‘out’ of fashion? For many, the Doc Martins ‘1460’ design is a staple wardrobe essential. The recent rise in Doc Martens popularity has been timed well, as this chunky footwear firm celebrates its 50th birthday. Not bad for small German company making orthopaedic boots, which have now developed into an iconic footwear fashion.

In past decades Doc Martens may have been associated with the skinheads, the punks, the mods, the grunges etc, but their appeal may now be more widespread as glamorous celebrities such as Sienna Miller (floral), Robert Patterson (traditional black) and Agyness Deyn (many different colours) wear their boots with pride.

Now before you rush out to buy your brand new shiny pair of boots, consider this; more than 100 million pairs of Doc Martens have been sold since that first pair was unveiled 50 years ago, and that must mean a heap of second hand boots out there. You may not be lucky enough to find a pair in a charity op shop or vintage store, although one lucky second hand shopper posted a success story on facebook’s op shopping group page 27 April: “doc martins - $8. red cross. sweeeeet.” And don’t forget eBay, although one pair similar to Sienna Miller's floral boots just sold for a whopping AU$345.00 with 52 bids!

Can you remember how much you bought them for in 1996? regardless, finding Doc Martens in an op shop is very lucky! And this proves they are boots that last if you are still wearing them 14 years later...